Efforts to develop a protective human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) vaccine have been hindered by difficulties in identifying epitopes capable of inducing broad neutralizing antibody responses. The high mutation rate that occurs in HIV-1 envelope proteins and the complex structure of gp120 as an oligomer associated with gp41 results in a high degree of antigenic polymorphism. To overcome these obstacles, we have identified antigenic and immunogenic mimics of HIV-1 epitopes that are specific to HIV-resistant individuals. The epitope mimics were identified by screening random peptide libraries using sera from HIV-infected subjects who were long term non-progressors (LTNPs). After extensive counter-screening with HIV-negative sera, we isolated peptides specifically recognized by antibodies from HIV-1 infected individuals.